Time after time
by vickay
Summary: Seasons change but sometimes the love one feels for another does not.
1. Chapter 1

**Time after time**

_Prompt 1. planting the seeds_

The samurai turned mercenaries' had a plan. A very simple one. This youkai was a pest to all humans everywhere.

Families, villages, JAPAN!, could be ruined because of these blasted youkai. And the pay was nice too.

So, now it was their mission to wipe them all out one by one.

Starting with the disgusting hybrid that had been seen wandering the nearby forests.

* * *

The fierce looking hybrid sat idly in a tree, a sleep-like state of meditation image presented to any who where near or passing.

However the youkai was sitting waiting for them to come. The humans. They always came. Was he truly to be blamed for his heritage?

Always looked upon with horror and shame because of the sins of the father? Like he cared…

A faint rustle could be heard in the vegetation to the left of his tree and the bushes directly in front of him.

Ready to pounce on the slumbering demon. Cowards, the hybrid though. All humans were cowards. And ignorant.

He readied himself for the oncoming attack and drew his sword after deftly dropping from his branch.

The mercenaries watched in horror at the speed of the demon slowly picking his way through them.

From the look in his eye he was enjoying himself.

Monsters all of them, rabid dogs in need of being put down.

That is what a youkai is.

* * *

Twelve. Twelve he had killed so far and approximately another 5 to go before he could once again enjoy the tranquillity only nature could offer.

In another part of the forest, he wasn't very fond of the smell of rotting corpses. Ningens, always inconveniencing him.

He flicked the blood dripping of his sword onto the grass and readied himself for the onslaught of more bloodshed.

He had never seen the monk hiding his aura and presence behind him ofuda in hand.

But he sure as hell felt the sword piercing his heart.

* * *

Another sigh escaped the small kitsune cuddling into his surrogate mothers chest as they continued to march forward through the thick undergrowth of the forest.

It was that dark in here, you could be forgiven for thinking that evening had arrived. They had been up since the sun made its way over the mountains and had yet to stop.

Well, excluding the usual pitstop to watch a flushed demon slayer to knock a hentai monk out soundly for his wandering hands.

That had been nearly 4 hours ago, and they had been travelling for about 3 before the usual incident occurred.

That stupid baka hanyou the little kit whispered in his mommas ear.

He loved making her giggle.

* * *

The laughter soon stopped as They all in turn banged into the hanyou who had stilled and turned his head sharply.

"A youkai." He had stated "And a lot of blood." He turned back around to continue on his course as soon as he deemed the invisible opponent to be off no danger.

The miko stood there clutching the kit in her arms before looking forward towards the hanyou to calculate their distance.

Putting the little fox down she grabbed her bow and arrows before telling him to go distract the hanyou marching on with authority.

As soon as the words left her mouth hundreds upon hundred of screaming mushrooms landed on the soon to be irate hanyou.

She took that as her cue to leave.

* * *

How long had he been stuck here? An hour, 2 at most? And vulnerable to boot.

Being stuck to the floor by a blasted sword slowly bleeding to death whilst not being able to move due to paralysis inducing ofudas was not a nice experience he decided.

What a horrid way to die, absolutely disgusting. A light whooshing of the grass alerted the hybrid to someone coming close by at an extremely fast pace.

This was it then.

And he couldn't even look his killer in the eye. A soft voice called out.

Even better, he was going to be killed by a ningen onna.

A task not even the female demons of his island of birth had managed to do when he was but a babe. Oh the irony.

* * *

The mikos head whipped around wildly as she scoured the high grass with her eyes. She couldn't see the body of anyone. A glint.

That wasn't a body but a…hilt? A sword hilt.

She moved towards it quickly as she slowed as she took in the scene in front of her.

Mangled bodies everywhere and there in the middle of them was the one body that still had all pieces attached. Had he killed them all?

But why would a youkai knowingly go for trouble in an area like this? It was farming land, no riches or wealth to be gained here.

And all the bodies, weapons where nearby as if they where attacking…

It had been an ambush.

Humans where now ambushing and killing seemingly peaceful demons.

A bitter taste entered her mouth and she moved hurriedly towards the body.

* * *

The hybrid laid there. Waiting patiently for death to arrive. How long did it take a ningen to walk a few metres anyways?

Oh, she was moving.

A rush of air on his right hand side meant that the onna was indeed kneeling beside him.

Why was she pressing her fingers at his neck?

And then he felt it. More of that damned holy energy. He was about to be purified.

The small lithe woman knelt by the demon and took in his features as she checked his vitals.

He was masculinity personified. Compact, but well defined muscle wise. Strong. Hair as thick and wild as fire, a refined face. Handsome.

She felt a pulse and decided it was now or never. She grabbed the hilt of the sword and yanked it as hard as she could.

After falling on her rump she moved up quickly and ripped material from the demons shirt and pressing it to his heart.

She needed to be calm for this to work, calm and focused. Spreading her other palm on top of the hand she was pressing down on his heart she allowed her powers to flow.

She could see it in her minds eye.

The blood moving backwards into the veins and arteries which them themselves seemed to stitch back up, the tissue of his heart melding back together, like a video on rewind.

* * *

If he could have growled at any moment in time the second the metal was wrenched free of his skin probably would have been it.

At least he was saved the dignity of looking pained in front of the ningen onna about to kill him.

A small bit of pride retained.

And then a warm feeling enveloped him, the ache in his chest getting less and less painful by the second.

* * *

She gingerly removed the soiled shirt from his chest before checking his wound to see if it had healed properly. He still wasn't budging an inch.

Surely she hadn't imagined that pulse. She had not just healed a corpse.

Again her fingers brushed over his neck searching for a pulse when she felt something that certainly was not skin on the back of his neck.

Twisting her head she saw a piece of paper that was in the process of dissolving.

An ofuda, only those with holy powers can use or remove them.

By the time she looked back towards his face her heart nearly burst from her chest when she found eyes that could put rubies to shame staring back at her.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked kindly. Concern overriding fear at the moment.

The demon had a sword sticking out of his chest just a second ago.

He grunted noncommittally before opening his dry mouth to grind out "Why?"

"Because you where in need of aid. What other reason would I need?"

He looked at her suspiciously and she stared it him curiously right back. What was left of his heart beat wildly in his chest as he took her in.

She was be-a ningen onna.

And Ningens where not to be trusted.

Regardless of their undeniable beauty. He looked at the hand thrust in his face with a raised brow.

* * *

"Forgive me for being so rude. Kagome. Higurashi Kagome."

He considered not answering but couldn't control the way his voice and lips shaped and pushed out a "Hiei" in her direction.

He was most uncomfortable.

" It's nice to meet you Hiei."

Kagome smiled.

Hiei forgot all about being uncomfortable. He forgot how to breath altogether.


	2. Chapter 2

I THINK I am going to do all 4 of these prompts, they have been flittering around in my mind for a while now, but in between becoming enraptured with the new episodes of glee ( ahhhhhhh all the way, sack you finn you had your chance! You abnormally tall man!) English coursework (two A's :D!) and just being a lazy ass I finally have some time to get down some more ideas. If we ignore that I should be revising for a mock exam, but it is a mock exam, and I have a month until the real 2 months until the real test you know? Any who… I don't own!

* * *

Prompt 2. Nurturing

The miko had surprised him at first. He was still cautious of her even after she had healed him. Sure she was attractive.

But she also had the power to destroy him with a mere touch, hell she didn't even need to touch eyed the arrows as a shiver danced across his back causing him to flinch.

He simultaneously felt on guard, and slightly aroused. He liked a defiant female, a virtual unknown in this time. He loathed weakness in any person so the submissive nature of women was a particular pet hate.

Grow a backbone for kami's sake.

* * *

Kagome looked pensively at the muscular back of the demon brooding off in the distance. His physical wounds seemed to be healing up nicely. He had healed rather easily before he eventually passed out. She had been frantic until Sango had soothed her worries saying it was normal to go into hibernation after such a battle. She had made it her personal mission then to stand guard over him until he was fit to rouse again. Kagome didn't understand why she felt the need to hover over the demon like a mother hen. Something about this dark soul captured her attention.

He was not really a blood thirsty beast, regardless of how InuYasha argued otherwise.

* * *

The incident had been a week ago and he could now confidently say that he was fully healed. Sure the onna had healed him from the sword wound but unsurprisingly the Rekai used to heal him had affected the youkai within his system. Still, the mutt ceasing that infernal racket any time soon would do a world of wonders on his current disposition.

Hiei was still feeling a little agitated at being caught in the miko, Kagome's, gaze after she healed him that he hadn't even been aware of the group running into the battle ground.

He did however notice the growl that escaped his lips before he could stop it when the hanyou grabbed Kagome and pulled her behind him before unleashing that gaudy oversized sword.

The baka couldn't swing if his life depended on it. And really, Wind Scar? It had the potential to be an impressive attack, if it could hit him.

* * *

Kagome didn't feel like she could breathe as his eyes bore into her own. His eyes though red where so different from Naraku's.

Narakus eyes where a blood red, reflecting the malicious nature, the innocent lives he disregarded as he took them from this world. This demon, Hiei, his eyes they were different.

A darkened ruby, smoky even? Like the flames of passion rather than the flames of hell seen in Naraku. He was a mystery. The smoky hue reflecting the secrets of his soul, his secrets and his pain.

Kagome couldn't understand her wanting to heal this broken soul.

Her heart nearly left her chest when InuYasha's hand clamped over her shoulder and pushed her behind him.

Her eyes bulged when he pulled tetsusaiga from its battered sheath.

That baka.

* * *

The smirk soon feel off the hanyou face when he pummelled towards the ground from a rather harsh 'oswari' only to walk into the edge of a sword when the spell finally wore off.

He yelped like the pup he was then alright.

* * *

Kagome smiled as Hiei dodged the attack easily, InuYasha however would not escape as easily.

"OSWARI!". If he acts like a Neanderthal she'd treat him like one.

Her fury was soon doused as Hiei pulled his own sword out. She tried to ignore the rippling of the muscles on his arm as he pulled the sword from its sheath in a slow and calculated manner.

This was a true swordsman, elegant and lethal.

She smiled distantly as InuYasha yelped before her own hand was pressed upon the blade. She looked into Hieis' eyes again telling him silently that InuYasha would do no more harm, he meant well but he was an idiot, a young brash idiot who knew no better.

Hiei lowered his sword.

* * *

That had been a week ago, he was healed. So why was he still here?

He knew the answer to that question but he didn't want to acknowledge it. It was her, she was the reason he was still here. She was on a quest for the shards of the Shikon.

He had heard about the jewel but it had never interested him. It was a false display of power at best, a strength that was not your own.

Disgusting really.

He hadn't left yet because she was in danger. She could die and he wasn't sure if he was ready for that yet. He had never been more aware of the morality of humans.

But then again he had never been befriended by one before. Friend. That was a new word in his vocabulary, he'd never had one of those before, he had been too busy trying to survive to worry about social niceties.

But she had bulldozed her way in. She had refused to let him die, defended him from her own friends and had continued to seek him out, not allowing his to revert back to the hollow shell he had been before. Oh she annoyed him, pushed him beyond his limits. There had been arguments resulting in him wanting to set her on fire, himself on fire, anything he could get his hands on.

But there where times when he had sat there in silence with her, a silent companion to ease the worries she kept hidden from others.

* * *

Kagome worried for him often. Worried about his life style, the dangers of it and why he lived like this. Had the world really been so cruel to the quiet youkai to her left?

He constantly seemed like he was waiting for something to happen, to go wrong. The other shoe to drop perhaps? Had he never known friendship before?

She had figured something was different about him for even though he claimed to loathe InuYasha she could see the grudging respect in his eyes, the camaraderie that came from those who shared similar experiences. She would not push him to tell her but hopefully one day he would trust her enough to share.

* * *

It had been some months now since she had healed him after the ambush. Hiei had not stayed with them for long after he healed, a few weeks before the night it had happened.

She had been sick of walking around on egg shells and asked him outright what he was. Hiei had been disgruntled to say the least.

" I am a youkai onna, I thought that was simple enough to comprehend." Is what he had flung at her viciously.

" Don't play stupid Hiei, you know that's not what I'm asking you. Do you really underestimate me as much as InuYasha does and think I can't tell the difference between your aura and that of other demons. I've seen elementals before Hiei and their aura isn't constantly at war with itself!" Kagome snapped back.

" Your stupidity supersedes that of most humans miko. You just answered your own question." He had not been prepared for the look of shock in her eyes.

He turned away before the disgust replaced shock, or even worse. Pity.

"F-Fire and ice Hiei? Kami-sama how are you still alive?" Kagome had moved towards him, her hand moving towards his back before she thought against it and said appendage dropped back down to her side.

"How do you know I am alive at all onna? I am stronger than the elements within me, they do not control me."

And with that he walked away.

* * *

Kagome constantly worried for her friend. It had been 7 months since they had confronted one another. If it could be called a confrontation.

It seemed more like her acquisition and persecution of Hiei now that she looked back on it.

She hadn't meant for it to be that way. She had been sincerely curious and had not meant to back him into a corner. But Hiei had a gift for getting under her skin.

Her stomach twisted as she thought about the handsome youkai. She had slowly began to accept her feelings towards him where more than that of a friend.

She cared for him deeply.

And not in the way she cared for the little kitsune who's head was presently nuzzling into her neck as she carried him.

It was not the fickle innocent crush she had felt with InuYasha. Hiei held a power over her. His eyes, they burned her.

She would see them everywhere. Behind closed lids, in her dreams and sometimes she fancied she was seeing a flash of black blurring past her in her peripheral vision.

A trick of the light obviously.

Would she ever get the chance to apologise?

* * *

He was angry with both himself and her. The woman had the uncanny ability to unsettle him. She had not been the first woman he had gazed upon lustfully.

She had confused him with her reaction to his heritage, where were the derogatory slurs and disgusted stares?

Then he remembered that Kagome was like no other he had ever met. He had noticed this in watching her engage with the others in her group.

She handled all situations with a level head and a grace unknown to that with her years. He should know, there had been times when he had wanted to slice that hentai monks hand off, from the elbow.

He would smile indulgently as she frolicked freely with the kit. She was the life and soul of them all.

Did she not realize he was not worthy of her, her friendship, any of the kindness she had to give?

And so he had left. But not far away. He was always there watching her. The group. Making sure they where safe. That hanyou was a lazy protector at best, and thick as a plank.

How many times had he had to kill off some youkai heading their direction for a shard in the past few months?

14 times so far. That's how many.

But he was content to watch and be a silent protector.

* * *

It had been InuYasha's human night when it had happened.

Kagome had been sitting humming quietly to Shippou as he blinked up at her sleepily, an adorable smile on his face when all of a sudden everything had become quiet.

Too quiet.

She had looked towards InuYasha who was sitting quietly in the corner closest to the door seemingly checking over tetsusaiga but when he had caught her eye and nodded she knew that he had felt it too.

She laid Shippou down and reached for her bow and arrow when some grotesque appendage burst through the thin wall and yanked her back through. InuYasha leapt up, they had not been expecting that. He wasn't fast enough to catch up in his human form and Miroku and Sango had left to inspect a near by village that had claimed to be infested with demons. Well at least they knew where the demons where now.

Kagome was terrified. It had been a while since she had been kidnapped, and she had never felt this vunerable before.

She had no weapon, no way to protect herself and no InuYasha to protect could feel her Rekai building but she was too stressed out at the minute to concentrate enough to attack.

The demon had stopped at the edge of the forest, a good half a mile away from InuYasha. Kagome looked up at the beast. Ugh. Why didn't they all look like Sesshoumaru again?

She nearly vomited when it licked its lips and edged closer towards her. She began to move backwards on her backside, pushing herself as far away form it as she could with her legs.

Until she backed up into something else. She paled as a putrid stench entered her nose. She turned her head slowly to see another low level demon leering down at her, his overgrown incisors inching closer and closer to her neck. She closed her eyes. No matter how brave she pretended to be for the others. She was terrified of dying, she was a seventeen year old girl who had yet to finish high school and embrace all that life had to give her.

And here she was, in feudal Japan, alone surrounded by demons who probably wanted something else before they made her their dinner.

Kagome was panting heavily when she heard it.

That slight zing that came from a sword being released from its sheath.

She opened her eyes to see the person who haunted her dreams.

"Hiei"

* * *

* * *

He truly was beautiful, he had dropped his cloak to the ground as he deposited the head of one oni to the ground, some way away from its body.

She watched with morbid fascination as he worked his way through the quickly retreating demons.

How many had there been a few seconds ago? 8? 9? There were none left standing now.

Her limbs began to work again as he began to walk away again.

She stood abruptly and caught the end of his cloak yanking him around to look at her.

They stared at each other intently, both grasping an end of the cloak, the only sound was their harsh breathing.

* * *

Hiei studied her, she seemed younger than she usually did. Scared, he decided. He did not like the look on her ethereal face. His hand moved of its own accord to cup her cheek.

He pulled away as if burned when she nuzzled into it. And dropped the cloak.

He needed to get out of there.

Again he turned his back to her and began walking away slowly, trying to slow his heart.

He hadn't expected a sudden crunch of leaves under her dainty feet and for slim arms to curl around his waist as a face buried itself between his shoulder blades.

He shivered as her hot breathe touched his skin. He looked down at the hands clasped around his chest, the fingers intertwined in an attempt to prevent him from moving away.

He gently pried them apart.

* * *

Kagome felt alarmed as he walked away from her yet again. In a last ditch attempt she thrust herself forward onto him and grasped whatever part of him she could.

He stilled and she almost smiled.

Finally they would talk, and everything would be fine.

She had not expected it to hurt so much when he removed her hands from around him.

She had not expected him to turn around and pull her into his arms and bury his face into her hair.

She had not expected him to kiss her temple and Kagome had definitely not expected him to whisper those words.

"Gomenasi Kagome."

* * *

Hiei had never expected to hold a woman in his arms with such reverence and he had never expected himself to treat her so gently nor had he ever expected he would apologise to anyone.

But the thing he had least expected was for her to kiss him. He hadn't seen that coming at all.

Although, he had expected that before he could react properly and kiss Kagome, as she should be kissed that she would pull away. Alas, this was his life we're talking about. Not that lothario kitsune thief he had been hearing about who was making a name for himself among the demon circles and anxious royals in fear off their possessions.

"Apology accepted." She smiled.

And this time he had enough presence of mind to dip in and kiss her again.

It was about time he took his own life into his hands.


End file.
